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Book #14: Vincent, Survivor by O.L. Eggert

Vincent Li always assumed he’d die in Oakwood. If the local gangs didn’t get him, then cigarettes and alcohol eventually would.

Now, he’s pretty sure minotaurs will kill him instead, and if not them, the ghouls dragging people into the dark will.

In the wake of an unexplained spike in homicides, a masked figure opens portals to another world—a world filled with dangerous magic and mythological monsters. Creatures that shouldn’t exist suddenly do, and they don’t mix well with humans. Vincent is trapped in Oakwood as the city is torn apart, but he’s no stranger to violence and will do whatever it takes to survive.

I received an ARC from the author for an honest review. No compensation was given and all that follows is my opinon. Now that that’s out of the way, here is what I thought about O.L. Eggert’s Vincent, Survivor.

When I first read the blurb, I got excited. For some reason, may have been because of the mythological creatures, I was foreseeing this book as a mix of Douglas Adams, urban fantasy, and a post apocalyptic setting. I mean, seriously, that sounds fun. It is one of those story ideas that can be hilarious and enjoyable or disturbing. It was so/so.

Eggert’s writing is good. I was in the world and I could feel the destruction and human conflict. However, the characters were lacking. I couldn’t find a character to root for. There was no one I wanted in my corner. Scratch that, maybe Dante because he had a solid head on his shoulders, but even he I didn’t get into. There was no spark in the characters to help me connect with the story.

As such, the threat didn’t feel as threatening as it should have. The imagery was great. I could see how the Minotaurs were genuinely scary, but without that human connection the story lacked that spark. I was left not caring about what happened to the main character or his supporting cast.

Now, some readers may focus on the bad language of the characters; the F-bomb is flying around like fireworks on the fourth of July. This honestly didn’t bother me. Sometimes the exclamations made sense with the events of the book, but other times it felt like the words were placed there for effect. I don’t know if they had any part in me not caring for the characters and I seriously doubt it (I cuss like a sailor).

But, like I stated before, I felt the book lacked in character but was strong in imagery. And . . . there really isn’t much more to say about it. Yeah, didn’t care for it.